Low-power and Lossy Networks (LLNs) communicate using low data rate links, such as Radio-Frequency (RF) links defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4 standard or Power Line Communication (PLC) links defined by the IEEE P1901.2 standard. LLNs experience a number of issues that may make communication between nodes challenging. For example, the radio or physical links within LLNs are strongly affected by environmental conditions that change over time. These changes may include temporal changes in interference (e.g., other wireless networks or electrical appliances), physical obstruction (e.g. doors opening/closing or seasonal changes in foliage density of trees), and propagation characteristics of the physical media (e.g. temperature or humidity changes). The time scales of such temporal changes can range between milliseconds (e.g. transmissions from other transceivers) to months (e.g. seasonal changes of outdoor environment).
Other issues result from the use of low-cost and low-power designs that the limit the capabilities of the LLN transceivers. In particular, LLN transceivers typically provide low throughput and typically support limited link margin, making the effects of interference and environmental changes visible to link and network protocols. Interference may be from external sources (non-network devices generating electromagnetic interference) or internal sources (other network devices communicating within the same frequency band).